My 35 years in Public Bank: 1984 - Year 12th transferred to Kamunting Branch and 2nd baby Ching Jin Wei

1984 · An unforgettable overnight trip to Maxwell Hill, Taiping.
L-R: Ching Neng Bin among the roses — Ang Swee Poh, Woo Tip Lin, Tang Phaik Hong, Rozianna, and Siti Mariam — patiently waiting for the jeep to arrive.

The branch organised an overnight trip to Maxwell Hill, Taiping, where we stayed in one of the government bungalows perched at the highest point of the hill. Getting there was already an adventure — access to the hill resorts was limited to District Office Land Rovers or by hiking up the steep, winding trails.

The rugged 4×4 jeep ride, climbing through misty bends and dense greenery, was thrilling and unforgettable. That journey alone made the trip special. Truly, those were the good old days.

Standing L-R: Chin Tai Tat, Tan Han Gee, Rozianna, Tang Phaik Hong, Tan Weng Chuah, Arul Dhaierya Nathan, Bridgit Lee Su See, Ooi Kwang Hin, Woo Tip Lin, Ang Swee Poh.
Sitting: Ching Neng Bin, Siti Mariam, Lim Ching Guan, ?? , Jamaludin Abu Bakar, Ng Seong Leng.

At The Cottage, perched at around 1,376 m above sea level, was the highest bungalow on the hill. Once the most prestigious residence, it was originally home to the top-ranking British officials, overlooking the entire valley below.

At the bungalow, we fired up the barbecue for dinner, filling the air with laughter and the smell of grilled food.

The night carried on with singing, dancing, and plenty of noise, as if we had endless energy. Truly, those were the good old days — when we were young, active, innocent, and could party all night without worrying about sore knees the next morning!

Back in 1984 · An overnight escape to Maxwell Hill, Taiping. Memories that still linger.

1984 - An overnight trip to Pulau Pangkor.
Top down: Choo Yew Ching, Ching Neng Bin, 3 ? , 4 ? , Ooi Kwang Hin, Tan Weng Chuah.

An overnight trip to Pulau Pangkor, staying at Sam Khoo’s camp in the “A-frame huts”. No electricity at night once the generator cut off, and the toilet was outside the hut. Armed with only a torchlight, we had to navigate through a cluster of huts under a dense canopy of trees to reach it — an adventure in itself! It was truly a memorable experience, made even better by the wonderful company we shared it with.

1984 - Public Bank Kamunting Br. bi-monthly staff dinner.
L-R: Wahida, Ooi Kwang Hin, Chin Tai Tat, Hwang Choon Chuan, Tan Weng Chuah, Ching Neng Bin.

Corporate Culture in the 1980s - Public Bank, which was founded in 1966, had a strong emphasis on discipline, teamwork, and staff morale. The mood was friendly, sometimes including games, speeches by managers, and awards for performance. It was also a subtle way for managers to gauge staff morale and engagement.

1984 - A site inspection for a customer's housing loan.
Ching Neng Bin conducted a site inspection for a customer’s housing loan.

1984 "Yam Seng" at Perak Branches Annual Dinner held in Ipoh.
Cheers to Mr. Choo Keng Lun — enthusiastically celebrated with the traditional cheer of “Yam Seng!”, marking the occasion with camaraderie, joy, and festive spirit. In the 1980s, Public Bank Perak’s Annual Dinner was always held in Ipoh. It was a highlight for all staff, who attended to enjoy delicious food and entertainment, fostering camaraderie and celebrating the year’s achievements together. Great memories.

1984 - Happy 1st Anniversary of Public Bank Kamunting Branch.
The celebration featured a special anniversary cake, marking the 1st year of Kamunting Public Bank Branch since its opening in November 1983.

1984 marked a very happy occasion as we celebrated the 1st Anniversary of Kamunting Public Bank Branch, hosted at En Awang Salleh’s residence. En Awang Salleh, our first branch manager, led the team of pioneers who had opened the branch in November 1983. Truly, those were the good old days, filled with camaraderie and shared pride in our new venture.

Celebration of the 1st Anniversary of Kamunting Public Bank Branch at En Awang Salleh’s residence.

Celebrating the 1st Anniversary of Kamunting Public Bank at En Awang Salleh’s residence. Fond memories.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Choo Yew Ching and Ching Neng Bin - Happy 1st Anniversary of Public Bank Kamunting Branch 1984.

Kamunting Public Bank - 1st Anniversary celebration at En Awang Salleh’s home.

Conclusion: We were pioneers of Kamunting branch and pioneers of friendship and trust. The good old days weren’t perfect, but they were filled with spirit, pride, and togetherness. The laughter, the cheers, the “Yam Seng!”—Public Bank in the 1980s was family in action. Ipoh dinners, Kamunting celebrations, and shared smiles—these were the treasures of our early years. Every award, every game, every speech—moments that made our memories golden.

Kamunting Staff: The dedicated team who were the pioneers of Kamunting Public Bank Branch, building its foundations with teamwork, enthusiasm, and a spirit of camaraderie. Their efforts in the early days created memories and milestones that are still cherished today.

1. Abdullah (RIP)
2. Ang Swee Poh
3. Anuar Shahid
4. Arul Dhaierya Nathan
5. Awang Salleh
6. Azhar
7. Azlina Shoib
8. Bernard Quah
9. Bridgit Lee Su See
10. Cheah Chuan Lock (Graduate trainee)
11. Chin Tai Tat
12. Ching Neng Bin
13. Choo Yew Ching (Graduate trainee) (RIP)
14. Christina Tham
15. Goh Theam Swee (RIP)
16. Hung Phung Teng
17. Hwang Choon Chuan
18. Jamaludin Abu Bakar
19. Jaya Kumarr
20. Khairul Anuar
21. Koay Bee Lee
22. Lee Cheng Ho (RIP)
23. Lim Chin Guan
24. Lim Kar Teik (RIP)
25. Megat Zaidi
26. Mohd Hatta Bakar
27. Mohd Salleh
28. Nazri Naj
29. Ng Ching Yuan Cindy
30. Ng Seong Leng
31. Ooi Kwang Hing
32. Ooi Soo Yong
33. Rozianna (training for Nibong Tebal br.)
34. Seoh Keng Soon
35. Shamshina
36. Siew Yit Kuan
37. Siti Mariam (training for Nibong Tebal br.)
38. Suzila Sulaiman
39. Tan Han Gee
40. Tan Weng Chuah
41. Tang Phaik Hong (training for Nibong Tebal br.)
42. Tay Heong Lin Jessie
43. Teng Kok Hwa
44. Wahida
45. Woo Tip Lin
46. Yang Kam Yuet
47. Zulkamar Zakaria

Ching Neng Bin's 2nd child, baby Ching Jin Wei
Catherine Oon with her two children, Ching Jin Yuan and Ching Jin Wei.

Catherine Oon with her two children, Ching Jin Yuan and Ching Jin Wei.

Grandmother and grandson, Ching Jin Wei. Precious moments together.

Little Ching Jin Wei, full of charm.